Honda begins real world "Smart Intersection" tests

October 5, 2018, 8:59 amby Drew Johnson

The program is launching in Marysville, Ohio.

Intersections are dangerous places. In the United States, intersection collisions account for 40 percent of all crashes and 20 percent of all traffic-related fatalities. But Honda is aiming to greatly reduce both of those figures with the deployment of its "Smart Intersection" technology.

Honda's Smart Intersection technology uses intersection-mounted cameras and connected vehicle technology to help drivers "see" through buildings and other objects. Cameras mounted above traffic lights send a bird's-eye-view of the intersection to Honda's proprietary image processing software, which then classifies objects into specific categories, such as pedestrian or emergency vehicle. The camera system has a range of about 300-feet.

That information is then sent to surrounding vehicles via a dedicated short-range communication signal. A vehicle's on-board computer then interprets the data and will automatically warn the driver of any possible dangers with visible and audible alerts.

The pilot Smart Intersection program is being rolled out in Marysville, Ohio, where Honda has a manufacturing and R&D footprint, but it might not be long before the technology is deployed on a much larger scale.

"Honda believes that V2X technology is an essential component of a smarter and safer transportation ecosystem and can play a role in our dream for a zero-collision society," said Ted Klaus, vice president of strategic research at Honda R&D Americas, Inc. "By partnering with the City of Marysville and the State of Ohio, we believe this research will give us a better understanding of how V2X technologies can be further advanced and most effectively deployed for the benefit of all road users."